Digital inclusion case studies > DigiKnow Friends and Digital Champions
DigiKnow Friends and Digital Champions Case Studies
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I just love working with the clients in the coffee shop and Starting Point’s different groups around Stockport. Nothing beats going there and teaching somebody something and then watching them confidently use that. You get a kick out of teaching them and they get a kick out of learning. It works both ways. You feel so good at the end of it when someone’s learnt something. And they come back. Next week’s lesson might be to learn how to use a credit card and they don’t even want a credit card, but they’ll come for the lesson because they don’t want to miss anything! Read more
I’m an older person myself, and I thought they might feel that if I can do it, somebody of a similar age, they can too. I’ve always liked helping people, and I’ve always had quite an analytical mind. That’s the sort of thing I like doing because I like solving problems. We all learn in different ways, and we’re all comfortable doing different things. With IT, there’s quite often several ways to do things and a way around obstacles. I like trying to help people to find out what works for them as a person. I would say to older people that there is something for everybody. Read more
Not only is this role rewarding and uplifting for me, but it helps our older people get to grips with how amazing technology is. They’re able to fill out forms, speak to friends and video call family. On top of that, we teach them about cyber safety which is so important with increasing online scams all over the world. Read more
I get a real buzz from volunteering with DigiKnow. It’s great when someone comes in with something which has been bugging them on their device and they go out with a big smile. I’m by no means an expert, but between us the team of volunteers can usually solve most issues, and if not, we can research it for the following week. I’ve learnt a lot already and look forward each week to meeting great people with a huge variety of questions who come to the drop-in sessions. Read more
I was isolating for 3 years, and last year I had 16 weeks in hospital so my support worker suggested I became a Digital Champion because of my interest in IT. It’s helped me get used to working again, too, even though it’s not really work, teaching people stuff. I really look forward to my volunteering day once a week. It’s really rewarding. I’ve been helped by so many people. It’s nice to give something back. Read more
How would you manage without your phone? It hasn’t affected me yet fortunately but if you have any disability, you’re more dependent upon it. 34 years ago, I helped blind students at university. Now I’m an RNIB volunteer and I’m surprised how little technological help there is still. There’s a gap between what the technology can do and accessible information on how to use it. I help Andrew make the most of the features on his iPhone. Each week he comes to me with different questions, and I can research it for him. I record it on memory sticks so he can play them back on the computer. Read more
I decided to apply to become a Digital Champion volunteer as I have a real interest in helping people with their digital skills. The best thing about being a digital champion volunteer is knowing that you have helped someone. No matter how small the issue seems to you, it has made a difference to somebody who has needed help. If anyone wants to become a Digital Champion but is nervous about having to train people, my advice would be to try an administration role first, or sit in on a couple of digital sessions to see how informal yet informative they are. Being a volunteer has made me feel valued and has been a great way to help me with the transition from working full time into early retirement.